Hand held swab or mop holder



Feb. 7, 1961 M A. ZELINKOFF HAND HELD SWAB OR MOP HOLDER Filed Jan. 15,1959 INVENTOR. M/Z TON A. ZEL/NKOFF United States Patent This inventionrelates to dusters, It is particularly directed to a member comprising ahandle having a flexible strap at one end adapted to be looped toencircle and grip a duster head ormop.

An object of this invention is' to provide a device of the characterdescribed, so constructed that the loop may be varied in size toaccommodate dusting heads of various sizes, or to vary the degree ofgrip on such duster heads.

Another object of this invention is to provide in a device of thecharacter described, a loop portion provided with means to grip'theduster head or pufi in such a way that it will not easily be dislodged.

. Stillanother object of this invention is to provide a device of thecharacter described comprising an elongated handle and a flexible strapportion at one end of the handle, which may be looped and engaged inlooped condition, the construction being such that the said flexiblestrap portion may be looped either to one side or the other, means beingfurther provided to retain the loop in any one of a plurality ofadjusted sizes.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide in a device ofthe character described, a member made of synthetic plastic material,such as polyethylene, and comprising a thicker semi-rigid handleportion, formed at one end with an opening, and an elongated flexiblestrap portion extending from the handle portion provided with a head atits outer end, whereby said strap may be looped back and the head passedthrough the opening, and said handle having grooves for engaging thehead to retain the strap in looped condition.

Yet a further object of this invention is to provide a construction ofthe character described, in which the strap is provided withlongitudinal ridges for gripping a puff gripped by the loop.

Yet a further object of this invention is to provide a strong, ruggedand durable device of the character described, which shall be attractiveinappearance, relatively inexpensive to manufacture, easy to manipulateand adjust, and which is yet practical to a high degree in use.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in parthereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts, which will beexemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which thescope of invention will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings in which is shown various illustrativeembodiments of this invention.

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the device embodying the invention,stretched flat;

Fig. 2 is a side edge view of the structure shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, cross-sectional view taken along line 33 of Fig.1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line 44 of Fig.'1;

Fig. 5 is a partial enlarged view of the portion of the becomingdislodged. The handle portion 11 will retain- 2,970,332 Patented Feb. 7,1961 structure shown in Fig. 1, which has the slot for receiving Fig. 7is a perspective view of one end of the device, 1

shown in Fig. 1, looped around a puff; and

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view taken along line 8-8 ofthe structure shown in Fig. 7.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, lfldesignates a holder for acluster or pufl; The same may be injection molded from linearpolyethylene. prises an elongated handle portion 11. The handle portion11 may comprise a thin web 12 and side flanges 13, being of Icross-section, as shown in Fig. 3 0f the drawing. The flanges 13 may beinterconnected by intermediate transverse webs 15, at opposite sides ofWeb 12.

At one end, the handle portion 11 is formed with an opening 16, and withan annular reinforcing web 17 surrounding the opening, so that thedevice may be hung up on a hook or nail. The handle portion 11 tapersgradually, but slightly, from its rear end forwardly. At its forward end19, the handle portion 11 is formed with a longitudinal central slot 20.The portion 19 is thickened thinner very flexible strap portion 30,connected to portion 19 by curved shoulder portions 31.

The strap 30 comprises a central elongated flexible band portion 32,which is thinner and narrower than the portion 19. On opposite sides ofsaid central portion 32 are formed a plurality of elongated ridges 34.Although the drawing shows seven ridges or teeth on each side, anysuitable number of such ridges may be employed. The ridges are fairlysharp and form teeth in cross-section.

At the outer end of the strap portion 30 is a head 40. The head 40 is inthe form of a tongue, which is wider than the strap, and about as thickas the central portion 32 of said strap. It may be formed, if desired,with a central opening 41. Its side edges are preferably curved inwardlyand forwardly, as at 42.

The .pufi or duster head 50 may comprise a plurality of strands of wool,cotton, or other fibrous material. These strands may be stitchedtogether at the middle. In use the strap'30 may be looped by bringingthe head 40 back, twisting it and pressing it through the opening 20,and

' then turning the head again to normal, to engage the head within oneof the sets or pairs of grooves 21. There is thus formed a loop 69,which grips the central portion of the duster head 50', and constrictsthe central portion,

errnitting the outer ends of the strands to expand and fluff, so thatthe loop is not seen. The strands of which the duster head 50 is mademay be of very soft flufiy fibrous material.

It will be noted that the thickness of the head 40 is somewhat less thanthe width of the grooves 21. The head 40 has rear shoulders 45, and itis these shoulders which engage within the grooves 21. It will be noted,furthermore, that the strap may be looped either to the right or to theleft, and that the head may be engaged either in the first, second, orthird pair of grooves, so as to obtain a loop of one of three sizes. Theelongated teeth 34 grip and dig into the central portion of the puif orcluster head 50 to prevent the pufi from sliding out or its straightshape, but, nevertheless, is flexible, being made of polyethylenematerial.

It will be noted that the width of the head 40 is such that it will passthrough the slot 20, when said head is twisted into alignment with saidslot. Also, the width of The handle 10' com-.

3 the slot 20 is greater than the thickness of the head 40 so that saidhead may readily pass through said slot.

it will thus be seen that there is provided an apparatus in which theseveral objects of this invention are achieved and which is well adaptedto meet the condition of prac tical use.

As possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and asvarious changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it isto be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in theaccompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in alimiting sense.

Although the device herein has been described as a duster, it mayequally be termed an applicator, mop, or mop holder, as the device maycarry a mop as well as any other duster head or puff. Therefore, theterm duster head or puff is to be regarded synomonous with mop.

I claim:

1. A holder for a duster head made of a single piece of syntheticplastic, comprising an elongated relatively rigid and thicker handleportion formed with a slot adjacent one end thereof, and with anintegral, relatively flexible and thinner elongated strap extending fromsaid end coaxially and longitudinally of the handle, a head at the outerend of said strap, said strap being of such flexibility that it isadapted to be looped backwardly, and said head being of such size thatit is adapted to be passed through said slot, and engaged with portionsof the handle, on opposite sides of said slot.

2. A one piece holder for a duster head, comprising an elongatedreatively rigid handle portion formed with a slot adjacent one endthereof, and with an integral relatively flexible elongated strapextending from said end longitudinally of the handle, a head at theouter end of the strap, said strap being adapted to be loopedbackwardly, and said head being of such size that it is adapted to bepassed through said slot, and engaged with portions of the handle onopposite sides of said slot, said handle being provided with groovemeans in an outer face thereof, adjacent said slot, to receive a portionof said head, after said head has been passed through said slot.

3. A holder for a duster, comprising a one piece member made ofsynthetic plastic material and having an elongated handle portion formedwith an opening adjacent one end thereof, a strap extending axially andlongitudinally from said end of said handle portion and being moreflexible than the handle, a head at the outer end of said strap, saidstrap having such flexibility that it can be looped by hand, said headbeing of such shape as to pass through saidopening, and said handlehaving means to engage said head, to keep said strap in loopedcondition.

4. The combination of claim 3, said strap being formed with elongatedridges for gripping a duster head.

5. A holder for a duster head, comprising a member having an elongatedhandle, said handle being formed adjacent one end thereof with alongitudinally extending slot, and with pairs of grooves extending onopposite sides of said slot, a flexible strap portion extending fromsaid end of said handle, a head at the outer end of said strap portion,said head being wider than the strap portion, said strap being adaptedto be looped back so that the head may be twisted and said head being ofsuch size that it may be passed through the slot, and then twisted backso as to be disposed transversely of the slot, and rear edge portions ofsaid head being of such size that said portions are adapted to engage ineach of said plurality of pairs of grooves, selectively.

6. The combination of claim 5, said pairs of grooves being formed atopposite faces of said handle.

7. The combination of claim-5, said strap being formed with elongatedridges.

8. The combination of claim 7, said pairs of grooves being formed atopposite faces of said handle portion, and said ridges being formed atopposite sides of said strap portion.

9. The combination of c aim 5, said holder being made of a single pieceof polyethylene.

10. The combination of claim 5, said strap being narrower and thinnerthan said handle, and said slot being longer than the width of the headand wider than the thickness of said head.

11-. The combination of claim 5, said holder being a single piece andsaid handle being substantially rigid.

12. The combination of claim 11, said pairs of grooves being formed onan outer face of the handle, and on opposite sides of the slot, saidslot having straight parallel inner edges.

13. The combination of claim 12, and said strap being formed withelongated ridges on an outer face thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS197,858 Jenkins Dec. 4, 1877 822,377 Lesso June 5, 1906 1,123,784 MulderJan. 5, 1915 2,242,543 Phipps May 20, 1941 2,242,869 Phipps May 20, 19412,825,084 Sanborn Mar. 4, 1958

